Ends Ending the Madness
by The Duckster
Summary: Missing moment, Hermione, determined not wallow in her own pity as Ron continues dating Lavender in 6th year. Right after Ron makes fun of her in Transfiguration and she runs to the bathroom. Her decision and execution of getting a date with McLaggen
1. Ending the madness

**Title: **Ending the madness

**Fandom: **Harry Potter

**Characters: **Ron and Hermione

**Prompt:**Ends 3

**Word Count:**1818

**Rating:**K – Nothings really in it but she vilifies Ron in her head quite a bit.

**Summary:**Hermione is determined not wallow in her own pity as Ron dates Lavender Brown in sixth year. Right after Ron makes fun of her in Transfigurations and she runs to the bathroom.

Author's Notes: I am excited with how this ties in with the book. I had most of it written and then I had to open the book to check a detail and decided to incorporate it better. (page 312 HBP)

_'I hate him, I hate him, I hate him' _Hermione's thoughts seemed unwilling to move past that point. Harry had followed after her down the corridor shouting for her to stop but she didn't want to talk about it. She was just too humiliated. Harry had been there when she'd asked Ron out. _He knew! _He knew that she was in love with Ron and that Ron not only didn't fancy her back but went to the extend of publicly snogging such a useless twat in order to avoid his date with her. Making fun of her in Transfigurations had just, hurt.

She didn't allow her tears to spill over until she was comfortably nestled in the safety the girls toilet. This has to end. She had thought that this long arduous dance was finally coming to a close, that they were getting somewhere but now she knew she has read it all wrong. The electrifying touches, the lingering looks, she could have sworn there were moments he had wanted to kiss her. She had been so stupid, thinking all this time they had shared feelings for each other.

How was she going to look at him now? She had humiliated herself by attacking him with those birds and now she would have to see him everyday knowing he knew with out a doubt she was hopelessly in love with him while he felt nothing of the sort towards her.

It ends, it _has_ to end. I can not be friends with him until I have got this infatuation under control. She took a piece of parchment from her bag and wrote on the top in large letters 'Other boys who are _not_ Him.' She was tempted for a moment to write _Harry Potter _because he knew that if Ron did have any feelings for her at all this would be the end all and be all of slaps in the face but she couldn't quite stomach the idea of giggling on Harry's arm nor did she want to put Harry even more in the middle than he already was. Then there was Ginny who despite having a boyfriend would kill her.

_Neville Longbottom_, she scratched her quill across the parchment but quickly scribbled it out. Neville was too sweet and since she was fairly certain he carried a bit of torch for her she didn't feel it would be fair to date him out of spite to Ron.

_Terry Boot _The smart Ravenclaw often studied with her in the library. Oh but he was dating Susan bones. She crossed his name out.

_Victor Krum _Slughorn would love that, and she knew Victor would come and do it for her too, even if she told him it was just to annoy Ron, which it wasn't but still the party was that night and she knew he wouldn't get word in time.

_Ernie McMillian_, Oh but he was already going with Hannah as his date. Another named crossed out.

She thought hard as to who would irritate Ron the most, not of course that he _cared_. Her brain though of Draco Malfoy for half a second and she threw up in her mouth a little a the thought. She certainly wasn't _that_ desperate to piss Ron off. Instead she wrote Zacharia Smith and not coming up with any reason to cross him off moved on.

_Seamus Finnegan, _there was a small temptation in that because she knew how miserable it was to over hear things in the dorm. That of course would imply she would have to _do_ something worth talking about and while she'd kissed Victor and certain didn't think of herself as a prude she had no inclination to let Seamus and his smarmy hands near her. _'If I get desperate'_ She thought to herself and she left his name on her list. She did like the idea of him being in Gryffindor though, that way Ron might be there when she came and went on her date. Again, not that he'd care who she went out with.

_Cormick McLaggen_, he was a decent looking 7th year Lavender Brown had never dated. and perhaps inviting him on a date to Slughorn's Christmas party would be a small way of making up for that whole Quiddich tryouts thing. She strained her brain for every boy she knew and soon the list of boys who made it on but were crossed out went three quarters of the way down the page. She looked the few remaining names and after crossing off Seamus because really, she had heard about the sort of attention he paid to a girl on a date and she didn't want the reports that got back to Ron saying she'd hexed him from grabbing her arse. Let Ron think she was okay with a little arse grab if he wants. He certainly knew from Lavenders nightly reports that he wasn't opposed to it.

Yes it would have to be McLaggen, he knew Ron didn't like him for trying to steal his keeper position and he was in Gryffindor so it was very likely word would trickle down to Ron, if he cared to know, what a fantastic time they had.

That was that. She would end this pathetic mooning over Ron. She got up and opened her stall to find Luna Lovegood watching her closely.

"Umgubular Slashkilter got you down?" Luna asked her sincerely. Luna really was very strange and completely ridiculous, but if you got past that she really was quite nice.

***

She walked into the Great Hall alone having left Harry and Luna talking to each other in passage way outside the loo. She was going to do this. She was going to shamelessly flirt until McLaggen was begging her to go with him. She walked down the Gryffindor table until she spotted Cormick, careful not to search for the red head with the a certain bint of a girlfriend as she went. He wasn't there yet, not that she was looking.

She approached the empty seat next to Cormick and smiled widely. She had to steel her nervous a bit to do this. She felt like a fool, it was going to be obvious to everyone what she was doing she knew it. Desperate times call for desperate measures. _'The party is tonight and Ron is not going to break up with his bimbo of a girlfriend and remember he agreed to go to this blasted party with you weeks ago.'_

"Hey Cormick." She said enthusiastically and with a bright smile. She remembered Ginny's long ago advice on flirting and that touching was good. So she ran her finger along his bicep before grabbing hold of it and using it for unnecessary support as she sat down beside him.

She remembered suddenly that when Victors fan club had hovered in the library they had played with their hair a lot. She twisted a lock between her fingers and batted her eyelashes at Cormick. She almost gave up right then because she didn't believe anything that made her feel this stupid was a good idea but then McLaggen was looking at her like a juicy steak and decided perhaps this crap actually worked. Boys are really stupid.

"Hey you. So glad you came to sit by me." Cormick wiggled an eye brow flirtatiously. _'Creepy'_

"Hermione, my names Hermione and well, I just saw this empty seat next to such a handsome bloke and thought 'wow my lucky day'" She shrugged her shoulders slightly, cocked her head to one side and bit her bottom lip as if she were embarrassed at the admission. Batting her eyelashes again.

"Of course I know you're name, you're Gryffindor's resident genius not to mention a fellow member of the Slug Club." He brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she couldn't help but shiver a little at this warm touch. He may be an over muscled idiot but he was a handsome over muscled idiot. She usually avoided contact with most people, most people being Harry and Ron. The chill that went down her spine was different than when she touched Ron, nothing gripped her stomach. It's just his finger dragging along the crest of her ear and along her lobe took her by surprise and she didn't mind the feel of it. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

She glanced around to see how many people were witnesses to her ridiculous behavior and noticed Ron sitting alone down the table a ways watching her with a sour expression on his face. _'YES'_ She turned her head back to Cormick with an new furtiveness in the task at hand.

They spent the next few minutes exchanging useless but flirtatious conversation and although she kept having to beat down the feeling that she was acting rather ridiculously and Ron knew exactly what she was doing from his still staring gaze. Cormick's reactions to her behavior helped alleviate this particular hesitation.

"So who's your date for Slughorn's Christmas party tonight?" Hermione asked in a sickly sweet voice as she ran her hand along his palm and looked up at him at what she hoped was seductively through her short un-goopy eyelashes.

"You if you agree to it." McLaggen eyes fixed on her and she had to stifle a giggle of triumph. It hadn't even been that difficult. Humiliating yes, but not hard.

"I'd like that." She placed her hand on his bicep again as she said it and she felt him flex it under her hand. '_Did he do that to show off of because he didn't like me touching him?' _She wondered if she was going over board but all fears and self doubt were squashed when he winked at her.

"Meet me in the common room around 7:30. Wear somethin' pretty." He got up from the table and did a walked away facing her for a bit until he winked again and turned away.

_'Did that pompous prat just inform me to wear something pretty?' _He had to be joking. What kind of person actually says that? She played with her stew as she sat in her now deserted area of the Gryffindor table and wondered what items in her closet would count as _'pretty' _and what she had just gotten herself into.

She glanced up in time to see Lavender arrive and attach herself to Ron's face. Hermione stood up and made her way to Harry and Pavarti who were chatting awkwardly. This was perfect. If she approached Harry while he was talking to Pavarti it could easily come up that she was dating McLaggen. Harry couldn't be counted to rub it in Ron's face quite like Pavarti and Lavender gossiping about the new couple.

"Oh, hi, Hermione!" Pavarti said overly brightly to Hermione as she approached.

_'This was going to be easy'_


	2. Courage in a box

Title: Courage in a box

**Fandom: **Harry Potter

Characters: Hermione and Ginny

**Prompt:**Insides

Word Count:1594

Rating:T

Summary:After Cormick tells Hermione to _'wear something pretty' _on their date to Slughorn's party she stresses about what to wear. Could silk charmeuse be more terrifying than a bunch of Death Eaters?

Author's Notes:I hope I don't loose anyone reading this. Can you tell I'm a fashion designer? I went and edited out the crap about seams the fall of the cross grain circle skirt. It's rather pathetic I know but I actually drew up the dress and everything.

**Courage in a box**

Hermione stood staring into her trunk attempting to will something '_pretty_' into existence inside. Who was she kidding? She didn't have anything outside of her mandatory school uniform besides a various assortment of jeans, t-shirts and multi hued woolen socks. She thought of the package under her bed, still wrapped in the brown paper the store had sent it in. _'No'_ she scolded herself for even considering it. She picked up a t-shirt and wondered if she could transfigure it into a party dress. She had seen the other girls performing minor charms to their clothes to improve their fit but as smart as she was she had never taken the time to learn the basic theory behind the typical beauty charms the other girls had seemed to master years ago. She was saved by a light knocking on the door frame. Ginny stood in the open door way grinned up at her.

"I know what you're thinking and I wouldn't try it"

"You don't know what I'm thinking." Hermione huffed defensively.

"Oh yes I do, it doesn't take a legilimance to know what is racing through your mind. You have that tell tale look of desperation a girl only gets by having nothing to wear." Ginny walked across the room as she spoke and sat at the end of her bed.

"What am I going to do? I have absolutely nothing to wear! According to McLaggen I am suppose to _'wear something pretty'_ and I don't have anything outside the realm of school uniforms and denims. It's ridiculous!" Hermione was not typically a whiner by nature and it was very irritating to hear her voice get all high pitched and annoying.

"That is a lie. You and I both know there is a very beautiful dress at your disposal you are refusing to consider."

"No, I would rather ask Lavender for a make over than open that box." She said this through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes.

"Well I guess you'll have to do that because I am not loaning you anything of mine when you insist on being so stubborn." Ginny crossed her out-stretched legs and leaned again Hermione's headboard. "Don't even think of asking any of the others either, I am much nicer to them than you are and I know there is no way you're going to grovel and beg to all the 7th and 5th years about needing a dress. You have too much pride for that. It's Lavender and Pavarti or the fantastic dress I am guessing you have stashed under your bed still wrapped up."

"I hate you sometimes. Weasley's by nature are annoying." Hermione grumbled as Ginny clapped her hands in triumph.

"Don't let my mum hear you say that." Ginny's voice was muffled a little by having flipped upside down off the side of the bed as she grabbed for the package underneath. "She might not make you a Weasley sweater for Christmas."

"I have never received a Weasley sweater for Christmas and I highly doubt if she would argue with my statement if she were privy to all the facts regarding the situation." Hermione was a little glum at the admission she's never been included as part of the Weasley hord. As much as she hated to admit it, it always bothered her Harry was so much more welcomed than she had been. Despite knowing Harry needed family more than she did, she had still spent more time with the Weasleys over the last several holidays than with her parents and it would just be nice.

Ginny, to her credit seemed to understand the meaning behind Hermione's protest. "You'll get yours someday Hermione, don't worry. It'll just take a little while." Hermione thanked her surrogate sister with a half smile and Ginny knew it was time to move on. "There is no reason for this lovely dress to be stashed under your bed while you moan about having nothing to wear. If I remembered correctly you did in fact buy this dress for the event taking place tonight you are currently complaining about having an no outfit for."

"You know for a fact that when I bought that dress I thought I was going with someone else. The contents inside that box were meant for him to see me in. Not bloody McLaggen." She fingered the string wrapped around the simple brown paper.

"Bravo Hermione! I don't care if the logic behind it is daft, I got chills from hearing your curse. You're excellent at it, you should try it more often." The two girls chucked a bit and Hermione's face grew a little red. "Come on I am not going to force you to wear whats inside this box, but I won't coddle you about it either." Hermione continued to finger the string tied around the box. "Besides, if you think about it, it's very likely a certain quiddich keeper, who shall remain nameless, will be down in the common room at 7:30 and it is only logical that he will see you in this dress and your original purpose will be served."

Hermione grinned and tugged at the string. "The point was for him to not be able to keep his hands off me, that purpose is difficult to serve if he's man handling his girlfriend instead."

Ginny let out a fake gasp of shock. "Hermione! I was under the impression it was for him to not be able to keep his _eyes_ off of you. I'm fighting the urge to be disturbed that this conversation is in fact about my prat of a brother but I am impressed that you could lie to me about your intentions whilst looking through various catalogs searching for this exact dress."

They laughed again and Hermione gave in, unwrapped the box and removed the strapless above the length red dress from inside the box.

She did her best not to be sad as she wiggled the crimson dress over her hips. This dress had been picked out specifically with Ron in mind. Last year she had over heard him telling Harry there was just something about a girl in red dress that he found irresistible. This comment had of course been made in regards to Anna Elliot who was all dressed up for a date with a Hufflepuff. Then this summer while at the burrow they had all gone swimming in the nearby pond. Ron had looked at her dumbfounded for quite a long time before looking away and mumbling something about her nice shoulders. She had worn the spaghetti strapped two piece in hopes of some reaction and was astounded he had only noticed her shoulders but to each his own right?

She adjusted the bodice in place and removed her bra while Ginny began to lace up the back. Why witches and wizard's wouldn't use zippers she didn't understand but when you can charms a lace up bodice to fit perfectly all night long I guess they don't think about other options. The bodice ended at the narrowest point on her waist and flounces of charmeuse draped delicately to a just a few inches above her knee.

She appraised herself in the mirror and pulled at the skirt a little so as to not show any of her thigh only to have her bodice lower. Ginny had laced it rather tightly causing her breasts to curve roundly out of top. Lowering the bodice down was not an option. She'd rather show all of Gryffindor tower her thighs than flash a nipple. So she hiked the bodice back up.

She continued to appraise what in her opinion was a massive over exposure of skin in the mirror. Her skin was too pale, how is it that Lavender was always tan? Was there a charm to give her at least the faint appearance of a healthy glow? She had chicken legs, awkward looking chicken legs and wobbling looking ankles. She closed her eyes as panic began to over whelm her.

"Gin, I can't do this. I look ridiculous. I feel like fool wearing this dress, the dress I dreamed about him seeing me in and _finally_ seeing me as more than the book worm who revises his essays. I'm suppose to feel pretty in it, but I just feel disappointed." Hermione felt tears prickling behind her eyelids, fighting with her self control to spill over.

"Stop it! This is _not_ who you are. You have stared down a vicious three headed dog, out witted Tom Riddle and his damn basilisk. You've changed the very fabric of time and stood up for what's right to a bunch of smarmy Death Eaters. Not to mention snogging Victor Krum in the muggle literature section of the library. I will not allow you to crumble to pieces because of a few bits of bare skin. Get over it and be a Gryffindor. Merlin's pants you might as well be a Slytherin for all whining I just listened to." Ginny was little scary at times but she knew her best friend was just giving her what she needed to do this, a fight. If there was anything that could steel her nerves it was the prospect of challenge.

"You're right I can do this, I will walk down to the common room and he will see that I am not going to mope over him and his twat of a girlfriend."

"That's the spirit Hermione! Now sit down so I can pluck your eyebrows."

_'Shite'_


	3. Remain Calm

**Title: **Remain Calm

**Fandom: **Harry Potter

**Characters:** Ron and Hermione

**Prompt:**Outside

**Word Count:**1839

**Rating:**T

**Summary:**Ron/Hermione. Missing moment. Ron sits in the common room waiting for Hermione and McLaggen to meet up for Slughorn's Party. Lavender tries to distract him but all Ron can think about is how he's suppose to be the one nervously waiting to go out with her NOT McLaggen.

**Author's Notes:** I guess this is both the third in a series as well as a one shot (if that makes sense) All these little prompts are meant as stand alone bits but when I write one moment I just want to write the next from someone else's POV. Their all in the same 'verse though so there are references to bits that we learn in one place mentioned here and there. When all 100 are done I'll probably try and put them all in order but the prompts are planned take place late fifth year summer before sixth year and just after the end of book 7 before the epilogue. I'm not going to write a wedding scene or having kids. I'm just in love with love stories before the couple works it out and so I love R/Hr because there is so much time to play with. They get so close so many times it awesome.

"Bloody Wanker." Ron muttered under his breath unsure if he was talking about McLaggen or himself.

It was 7:15 and Ron thought he could very well go mad. He did his best to be appear calm to the outside world but he couldn't keep his mind on the charms homework spread out on the table in front of him. Every few seconds his eyes would glance toward the girls staircase. _'Stay cool, it's just a Friday like any other Friday... Except of course at this very moment Hermione is getting all dresses up to go out with a bloke other than you. On a date that was suppose to be you.'_

How did he ever let this happen. This was _his_ date. He was suppose to be upstairs right now nervously fixing his hair and asking Harry if his tie was straight. He looked up at the clock again. 7:22. Merlin's beard time was crawling my slowly. This was going to be the longest night in history.

Ron's eyes flicked to the stairwell again only to be greeted with the most miserable sight he could imagine his girlfriend. How he loathed his current predicament. He'd snogged a girl in a moment of stupid revenge because of Hermione's lack of faith in him, well it was a little do do with finding out she'd bloody well snogged the life out of Victor bloody Krum and he was embarrassed about being the only bloke in 6th year. Who hadn't had a proper snog. Even Neville, with his own sister and Hannah from Hufflepuff. The little ball of nerves was getting more than Harry and Ron combined. Not that he felt comfortable referring to his own sister as _'tail'_.

The point was he'd snogged her with out much thought and then by the end of the night he was in a serious committed relationship. Stupid canaries, Lavender had taken him to the hospital wing and upon the influence of a drug induced stupor confessed passionate love for Lavender who had at the time appeared to be Hermione to his addled brain dressed in one of his Chudley Canons t-shirts.

He'd liked that t-shirt but it had gone missing during the summer. He had woken up in the middle of the night mid July to use the loo only to meet Hermione in the hallway wearing, he couldn't believe it, his bright orange canon's shirt and nothing else. The hem of it not even coming mid thigh and her taught nipples pressed against the worn fabric. It had been one of the sexiest things he had seen in his life and enjoyed a good wank moments later in the bathroom.

Lavenders irritating greeting brought him out of his enjoyable memory "How is my Won Won doing today?" She asked as she sat down on his lap. "Oh!" She leaned in closer to his ear and she wiggled purposefully in his lap. "It seems little Won Won is happy to see me."

_'No, he's not saying hello for you.' _Lavender had been eager in all matters of their physical interactions. She had sneaked into the hospital wing after hours while on bed rest from Hermione's canaries and after engaging in a vigorous snog she had moved his hand to cuff her breast while maintaining eye contact with him the whole time. He had to admit it had been a huge turn on at the time, to not have everything be a puzzle for him to figure out. Just for once to have a girl tell him with out any hesitation exactly what it was she wanted from him.

Things with Lavender had been exciting for all of a five days. In those five days she had sucked him off three times in various broom cupboards in the castle, all at times he was sure Hermione was not preforming prefect duties. They had dry humped in his four poster and she had show him her tits in and unused class room. At one point she had attempted to give him a hand job in the library but he drew the line at the library. He had indulged in way to many Hermione fantasies in that library and he would not have Lavender sully that dream for him.

7:28 and he was still sitting staring at the clock as his overly enthusiastic girlfriend practically gave him a lap dance in the common room. He shoved her off his lap and on the empty couch next to him and mutter something about his charms essay having to get done. She pouted for a moment and compained about being bored but he was distracted by Ginny's appearance in the wing chair adjacent to them.

"Aren't you in the slug club? Why aren't you all gussied up?" Ginny looked over at Dean whole seemed annoyed as he sat at a far off table playing exploding snaps with Seamus.

"It was more fun to play fairy god-mother tonight." Ron looked at his sister confused and when she realized he didn't have any clue as to what that meant continued. "Ron you are seriously dumb as a stump when it comes to muggle awareness, you should seriously take muggle studies. The fairy god-mother is the one who gets the princess all dresses up and ready for an unforgettable night with her prince."

"What poor sucker got you as their makeover fairy?" But Ron's question was answered by several gasps and many muttered conversations through out the room. He turned toward the staircase to for his eyes to take it what was both breathtaking and heartbreaking in the same moment. He felt his heart leap into his throat just to have it drop into the pit of his stomach the next second.

He couldn't breath for a moment, he literally forgot how his lungs functioned. She was a vision of perfect porcelain skin and what he knew was a light dusting of freckles along her shoulders. Her curves intimately embraced in a sultry red dress, a color he'd always felt possessive of given his over abundance of it, that made him wish he could wrap his arms around her. Instead of him. Ron's eyes narrowed as the brutish moron put his hands on _my Hermione's, _was that? Did he just bum graze her? He knew that moved, he'd used that move! When you hug a girl, then let your hand drop and as you let go you let his graze her bum before you let it hang back at your side. _'He's a dead man!' _

"Are you okay Ron, you don't look well?" Ginny's voice was all concern but when he looked into her eyes, he knew those eyes. Those were they _'mom let me have a cookie and you can't have one because you took Charlie's broom out without permission' _eyes. She was enjoying this. She was reveling in watching Ron forced to suffer in silence, keeping his outside as un-phased as possible because he was sitting next to his over enthusiastic girlfriend while the girl he was in love with got dresses up for some other bloke.

"I'm fine, thanks for the sincere concern. It's wonderful to know you care." Ron dead panned back to his evil sister.

"You guys are the cutest siblings ever! Caring for each other so much." Lavender blurted out as she wrapped her arm around Ron and ran her hands through his hair. Ginny exchanged a look with Ron that clearly translated to_ 'Is she seriously that stupid?' _Ron just shrugged his shoulders and leaned forward on the couch so the Lavender's weight fell behind him instead of all over him. He wanted to hear this with out her obnoxious little distractions.

"You look hot." McLaggen exclaimed.

_'Wrong classification' _thought Ron. Hot is when a girl looks good but still had a bit of a scarlet woman vibe. Hermione looked classy, the sort of girl you would take dancing not an empty class room for a grope and squeeze. Not because you wouldn't want to, there were definitely a few things he was imagining doing to her if he had the privacy, but you don't because you know she's not that type of girl. She's better than a quick once over in a broom cupboard. Hermione was flowers, she was a long walk around the lake, or a picnic near the pitch. She was NOT a girl that bloody wanker McLaggen got to bum graze!

"Thank you Cormick, you don't clean up so bad yourself." Hermione blushed. _His_ Hermione was blushing over an underrated compliment by that quidditch keeper wanna be.

Then he pulled her close again and kissed her cheek. She giggled and her blush deepened.

Ron dropped his face into his hands, determined not to say anything. He would keep his mouth shut, he would not let anyone see what this was doing to him. He would not give into the temptation to punch McLaggen in the face and insist Ron had in fact been Hermione's date first. He could do none of that though, he could indulge none of the various fantasies vying for attention in his brain. Ron Weasley would sit on the common room couch next to his girlfriend and let the object of every desire he'd ever known as a man walk through the door with another man.

Why? Because he was stupid! He was by far the most monumentally pathetic coward in the history of the world. He wouldn't just man up and confess to his former best friend that he was madly in love with her.

The reasons he had before weren't even relevant anymore! Forget not wanting to ruin their friendship, it was over, they hadn't said a civil word in weeks. Forget making Harry feel awkward because Ron was fairly certain having a pair of best friends who won't speak to each other is pretty awkward. He glance at the girl sitting next to him that was now gossiping happily to the girl on her other side. Was it really Lavender Brown holding him back from going after what he wanted. _Who_ he wanted? If he were any sort of man he would get up right then and take Hermione in his arms and kiss her like he's wanted to, and dreamed of, and fantasized of for years.

Ron got to his feet and stepped forward only to be stopped dead in his tracks. Hermione was having some sort of silent exchange with Ginny and she looked so happy. Her waving curls bouncing exuberantly on her tantalizing bare shoulders. He couldn't do it. He was an unworthy prat who had spent the last several weeks indulging in salacious company of his slutty girlfriend. He didn't deserve her bouncing curls or warm smile and he never would.

He gathered up his things and muttered something about not feeling well after all and made his way up the spiraling staircase.

"Bloody wanker." This time Ron knew exactly who he was referring to.


	4. Lady in Red

**Title: **Lady in Red

**Fandom: **Harry Potter

**Characters: **Ron Hermione

**Prompt:**6 - Hours

**Word Count:**1939

**Rating:**T

**Summary: **Hermione's POV of Slughorns party. No one ever told Harry she ended up in the astronomy tower with Ron.

**Author's Notes: **I enjoyed writing this one. I've always wanted a version of what Hermione's night was like that night but I haven't read any that I really loved.

Lady in Red

She took a few deep breaths to steady herself. _'In a few hours this will all be over.' _She allowed herself one brief moment of sadness that her only consolation was that this evening would only last a few hours when previously this night had held such high hopes. She forced down the naively conjured images of hanging onto Ron's arm she'd spent several blissful days dreaming up.

Ginny had insisted on getting her ready and as a result she had spent the last hour being tweezed, covered in various hues of goop, and her hair had played victim to Ginny's wand performing various anti-frizz charm. It's not that the result wasn't nice, she was surprised at how she still like her but just slightly _tweaked_. As Ginny had put it.

McLaggen lead her by the waist into Slughorn's dungeon office which was draped in lush hangings in deep emerald, gold and crimson hues. The room was already crowded and they'd been able to hear the music from several meters away. He steered her toward a lavish buffet table as he continued his none stop prattled about himself.

"...so any way it's just me vs him and I know with out any doubt in my mind I'll make the save that would ensure a win..." He'd been going on and on since before they'd left the common room, as if she were a reporter interviewing him on what a supremely superior specimen he was and how every one he knew should thank their lucky stars he's graced them with his presence.

His hand was on the small of her back but she noticed it was getting lower by the minute. She'd already been treated to half a dozen arse grabs. It's like he thought she wasn't aware of what he was doing every time he dropped his arm to his side and "accidentally" ran his hands down her backside. Her reverie of disdain for his grabby hands was interrupted by his sudden exclamation.

"Oh look mistletoe!" and before she knew what was happening his lips were pressed forcefully against her own. She had not been prepared for this and it took her a moment to set her bearings. She didn't really know what to do. She'd knewn it was very likely to happen, but she hadn't expected it this soon. She'd been depending on the influence of a few butterbeers. She and Ginny had discussed this possibility, snogging typically happened on dates she knew that when she was batter her eyelashes at him like an idiot. Hermione had been decidedly against it but Ginny had told her that few good snogs might be exactly what she needed. Against her better judgment she had promised that if the situation came up she would at least give it an honest try.

_'Okay here goes.' _She parted her lips tentatively as his tongue ran slowly across her bottom lip. _'It's not that bad' _He pulled her lower lip into his mouth and kneeded it softly with his tongue. _'Really, not bad at all.' _She began to match his movements and immediately regretted it.

His enthusiasm went from enjoyable to overwhelming at her tiny encouragement. He was no longer sticking to grazing her back side, he had engulfed a large portion of it in one of his over sized hands. The other went from gently caressing the nap of her neck to rather quickly sliding down her neck and making it's way to the fabric of her tight bodice. _'Seriously, me gently responding to a kiss makes you thing both my backside and breasts are fair game? What is wrong with this bloke?'_

She pressed her palms against his chest meaning for him to understand the kiss had come to a close but his body didn't budge. She had to rather forcefully push him way from her as she pulled her lips as far way from him as she could get them.

"I'm going to go freshen up in the loo." Was all she could manage to come up with as she sprinted off in the opposite direction.

***

Hermione had been alternating weaving in and out of people and hiding behind tall groups of chatting people for the past hour. She'd had a short moments peace in the form of Harry and Luna but she'd spotted McLaggen coming and had taken off quickly shoving two witches aside in her hast. She didn't know how long she could keep this up but she wasn't prepared to be man handled again so she concluded it was time to make a subtle exit.

As soon as she was free from the crowded room she relaxed against the wall. She checked her watch 8:52, all that work and it wasn't even 9 o'clock yet! She couldn't return to Gryffindor tower this early, Ron would be sure to realize her date had been a bust. She leaned into the wall and relaxed. The cool air a welcomed relief to the heat generated by the crowded room.

"There you are, thought I'd lost you!"

_'You've got to be kidding me?' _"Oh sorry Cormick, I just needed a bit of fresh air." She used her small beaded handbag to fan herself for a moment.

"That's alright, it's more private out here anyway." He moved to smash her body in between his own the the wall but she moved just in time.

"How about we go for a walk instead?" He got a suggestive glint in his eyes that she knew immediately she didn't like and he placed his hand on the small of her back again as they headed away from the dungeon.

***

It didn't take her long to guess he was leading her to the Astronomy Tower. _'Is he kidding, does he not realize I have to bust couples up there on a constant basis as part of prefect patrolling duties.' _He looked down at her with a lusty leer painted across his face, his hand had begun it's backside slide again.

Hermione began mentally checking off various hexes and jinxes that would get her out of this situation if the need arose. She knew plenty of ways to ward off dark wizards but she hadn't made it a point to study up on how to keep a lecherous date at bay.

She glanced at her watch again as they descended the final steps leading to the open air at the top. 9:29, it wasn't even late enough for all the couple to be sneaking around yet. It was very likely she was up here alone with a guy who kept mistaking her arse for a quaffle. Oh, she'd have to remember to mention that one to Ginny. She'd be rather proud that I thought of a quidditch analogy with out even thinking about it.

He led her over to one of the telescopes which allowed her to guy almost an entire half an hour on her attempting to recite every she could remember from her Astronomy lessons. He didn't seem to have the patience for it though and soon she felt his muscled arms wrap around her from behind.

It didn't seem so bad, he just had his arms around her and was holding her. For a moment she allowed herself to imagine they were another set of arms, a set of arms that she'd dreamed of holding her more times than she could count.

Ron let go of her waist with one of his arms and moved her hair to one side exposing her skin to the cool night air. Goose bumps ran along one side as his lips began placing gentle kisses against her delicate skin. She felt Ron's fingers trail slowly along her upper arm and shoulder. She moaned softly at the feel of it.

His lips moved to her ear and she tilted her head allowing him better access. She could feel his ginger hair tickling her neck as he continued his ministrations. It felt nice, relaxing even. Just as she was about to let his name fall from her lips she felt his fingers move from her shoulder to the soft mound of flesh protruding out of her bodice and it hit her with a shock, like she'd been pushed from the tower's edge. These caresses were not from Ron. Ron was probably in some spare broom closet doing this to Lavender. She felt tears prick painfully behind her closed eyelids and she fought against it.

She forced all thoughts of Ron from her mind and concentrated on the feel of Cormicks skin on hers. It had felt wonderful just moments before. She would get that feeling back, just without thinking of Ron. She had to hope that it was possible to feel like that without him. If not, what was she going to do? She was so tired of pining after him. She wanted to fall in love with someone who would catch her. She had spent years of her young life desperately clinging to an unrequited love and she was sick of it. She was of age now, a woman and it was time she felt like one.

She tried, she concentrated on the feel of Cormicks fingertips and lips against her. She tried with all that was in her attempting to will feelings into existence. She tried if only put a stopper in the heartache that she knew await her, but to no avail. She felt nothing except a sickening in her stomach. She didn't like these ministrations when she wouldn't trick herself into thinking they were from Ron. She attempted to step away but all she was able to manage with his strong arm holding her against him was to turn her body facing him rather away. She knew immediately which one she preferred. He pressed his lips against her more forcefully this time. She was helpless against him for a moment, her struggles being misunderstand as passion she couldn't contain. She could feel his hand beginning to pull up the fabric of her skirt, gathering it into his hand until his fingertips were groping flesh instead of silk.

_'That's it!' _She didn't care how rude it might seem he was hexing his bits off. She reached inside her beaded bag and withdrew her wand. She pointed it at him and concentrated as hard as she could on the first jinx that come into her mind. Just as he began to stumble backwards a voice from the staircase behind her rang out in the silence.

"Break it up you two, ten points each from..." but the voice trailed off when she met his eyes. Ron was staring back at her looking like she'd just jinxed him instead of McLaggen. The last thing she wanted right now was to come off as some damsel in distress he'd just gallantly rescued.

"You can't deduct points from fellow prefects Ronald. Since both Cormick and I are prefects you can report us to our head of house." She crossed her arms definitely and prayed that Cromick would keep his mouth shut about just having a withering jinx performed on his manhood.

Ron's mouth opened and closed with out making any sound. Hermione took his speechlessness as her opportunity to walk past him. Brushing her arm against his shoulder as she went knocking him off balance for a moment.

"That's what I thought." Her voice was cold and it chilled even her own blood. She turned back to shout to her date now simpering date. "I had a very memorable evening Cormick." And she grinned wickedly before heading down the stairs.


End file.
